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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25238935">Happy Dreams</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/akiiirakuwusu/pseuds/akiiirakuwusu'>akiiirakuwusu</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Persona 5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>First time writing a fic, M/M, Persona 5: The Royal, Persona 5: The Royal Spoilers, spoilers for final palace</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 03:54:43</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,600</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25238935</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/akiiirakuwusu/pseuds/akiiirakuwusu</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"I'm glad that you're still normal, even in this bizarre situation. If you'd lost it too... Well, if that happened, I would have slapped you awake."</p>
<p>hi, I wrote this for missing maruki's palace deadline cause aha why not.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Akechi Goro/Kurusu Akira</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>48</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Happy Dreams</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Akira woke up and shook his head. Where was he? The nurse’s office? The room’s interior looks the same but something was off about it like he was being watched. He looked down and saw he was in his black and white garb of the Velvet Room. </p>
<p>A voice said, “Seems like you can’t reach a decision.” Akira moved his head to see Maruki in his view now. He continued, “In all honesty, I really wanted you to accept my gift of your own free will… But I see that demanding a decision from you is only making you suffer.” </p>
<p>Right, he and his teammates weren’t able to finish Maruki’s palace in time. Even after fighting off the illusion that was the perfect reality, they weren’t able to finish the palace. Akira wasn’t the same as he used to be when he first arrived in April. Back then, he would do anything to stand against the corruption of society. Now, he wasn’t so sure.</p>
<p>Mauki’s reality was wrong, but his friends were happy. They were able to do things without the burden of the past clinging onto them anymore. After seeing the fake reality that Maruki had envisioned for them and the palace where he ruled over people’s wishes, Akira got tired. He was stuck between choosing the fake reality and going back to their reality, and before he knew it, February 3rd had arrived. </p>
<p>Two tentacles appeared beside Maruki and they swung around, silently waiting. Maruki continued talking, “That was never my intention-so, don’t worry. There’s no need to obsess over it anymore. I’ll bring you your happiness.” The tentacles reacted to Maruki’s words and swirled quickly before calming down again. </p>
<p>Why did he suddenly feel so tired? His eyelids were growing heavy with sleepiness. He felt like he was being enveloped in a big blanket. Everything turned black and he could hear Maruki say, “Pleasant dreams. For as many days or years as you may have.” </p>
<p>----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</p>
<p>“What.” </p>
<p>“Akechi-senpai, you look down. Is something bothering you?” Kasumi Yoshizawa-no wait… Sumire Yoshizawa looked at him with worry in her eyes. </p>
<p>“Yeah, somethin’ up?” Ryuji turned his head with a sad look on his face. </p>
<p>“No, nothing is ‘up’. I am perfectly fine, thank you for asking.” He lied so they wouldn’t get on his case anymore. Sumire and Ryuji shrugged before returning to their previous conversation about a new diet plan. </p>
<p>How could he have almost forgotten about Sumire’s ordeal as if it never happened? Could it be because of Maruki’s influence over this reality? There was no use pondering over it right now when there were more pressing matters to address. </p>
<p>Akira Kurusu, the leader of the Phantom Thieves, was missing from the group of friends. It seems like everybody has forgotten that he’s even existed. Several days have passed since they failed to complete Maruki’s palace and everybody returned to their day-to-day routine. Nobody noticed that something was off with the disappearance of their fearless leader.</p>
<p>Everybody had gathered here in the diner, minus Makoto who had college exams to study for. Each one of the Thieves was tied up in their own mini conversation with each other while Goro stayed off to the side like the lone wolf he was. </p>
<p>However, he needed to know if any of the Thieves knew where Akira was, they had to know where their own leader was, right?</p>
<p>First, he went to Takamaki who was discussing crepes with Suzui. “Sorry to intrude on the conversation here, but have you guys seen or heard from Akira as of late?” He used his detective prince voice since it would reach others easily. </p>
<p>Takamaki and Suzui both looked at each other before Takamaki said, “Akira? Who are you talking about? Oh! Is he part of some case you’re investigating? You have to tell me more about it!” Well, Takamaki was clueless on the matter. Suzui didn’t say anything but smiled at him. How could Takamaki not remember anything about Kurusu? He’s helped her out with so many things and she doesn’t recall it?</p>
<p>The detective prince's face was falling, he was pissed right now. “I’m sorry, but do you seriously not remember a single thing about Akira, after all the things that he’s done for you?” There was too much hostility in his voice but he didn’t care, he was tired of this illusion of everything being happy.</p>
<p>Before Takamaki responded, Goro picked up his things and got ready to leave the diner before Haru said, “Akechi-san, is everything alright? You seem to be a bit troubled more than usual.” She had a sweet and concerned tone in her voice but Goro had to leave, he needed to find Akira.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry to cut my time here short, I’m needed elsewhere right now. Please enjoy the rest of your food, Okumura.” He tried to sound as polite as possible but there was some sharpness in his tongue.</p>
<p>“Ah, I understand. Take care, Akechi-san.” Haru smiled before moving to talk to Futaba and Yusuke. Goro put some money down on the table and stood up to leave the diner. Nobody else noticed that he left, which is what he preferred. </p>
<p>After leaving the diner, the hot air hit slapped him in the face awakening his thoughts of what everybody else has forgotten. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and checked the date: July 3rd, exactly five months after failing to complete Maruki’s palace. How could he just realize that Akira Kurusu has disappeared, Maruki is nowhere to be found, and the others have no recollection of ever going into Maruki’s palace? </p>
<p>Another thing is that everybody’s wishes have come true. Sumire Yoshizawa has presumed the face of her dead sister again, Ann Takamaki and Shiho Suzui talk with no recollection of Kamoshida, Ryuji Sakamoto goes back to the track team, Morgana has now turned into a human, Yusuke Kitagawa remains under the care of Madarame, Futaba Sakura’s dead mother-who he killed under Shido’s orders-is alive, and Haru Okumura’s dead father has returned. </p>
<p>Everything was all swell but Akira remains out of the picture. Where had that bastard gone, he thought to himself. There was no way he folded over some bullshit trivial threat on his life, did he? If he did, he was an idiot for clinging to him as if he wasn’t already dead. </p>
<p>There were only two options to where Akira could be. It was either Leblanc or he was back at his hometown with his parents. He thought to himself that it would be impossible for him to return to his parents with all of his friends so it had to be Leblanc.</p>
<p>He ran over to the nearest station to make his way to Yongen-Jaya to march into the coffee and curry cafe. He slammed open the door and started marching towards the stairs with Sojiro yelling at him as background noise. </p>
<p>What he saw upstairs was unbelievable. Cobwebs sprayed across the room with more dust scattered everywhere than usual. Lying on the bed made of crates was Akira fucking Kurusu, just sleeping as if dead. His back was facing Goro with no signs of movement. Goro scoffed and thought to himself, You disgust me with this. Leaving me here with these fools and you lie here like the world has given up on you. </p>
<p>He stormed to the bed and turned Akira to face him and Goro hated what he saw. Kurusu’s face was paler than usual, deadly pale, to be precise. Goro touched his cheek and it was as cold as ice, no warmth at all emanating from the boy, despite being in the middle of summer.</p>
<p>What a fucking joke this was. The leader of the Phantom Thieves sleeping his life away. He grabbed the collar of Akira’s shirt and started screaming at him. </p>
<p>“What the FUCK are you doing, you piece of shit?! Wake up, this is no time to be asleep in this pathetic world!” Akira didn’t move, not even a flinch came out of his body. “Don’t you remember what I said back at the Jazz club? If you’d lost it… I would slap you awake, well sorry Akira but YOU NEED TO WAKE UP.” </p>
<p>He started slapping the shit out of Akira. He slapped both sides of his face leaving two red marks, which was the most color he’s seen out of him. He didn’t take any breaks and kept slapping at Akira. At one point, he wasn’t sure, but he started crying. The tears were blurring his vision and they dropped onto Akira’s face which made it seem like Kurusu was the one crying. </p>
<p>“Please… wake up,” he stopped slapping and took both his hands and grabbed Kurusu’s collar again, “I never wanted to admit it to you, but I need you with me here, Akira. Even in this perfect illusion, I wouldn’t be able to survive without your stupid jokes or your ridiculously high charm.” Why was he getting so sentimental over this stupid, stupid idiot who won’t even wake up? </p>
<p>He lowered his hands and let go of Kurusu’s collar and he rested his head on Akira’s chest. His tears started to dry up and he almost drifted to sleep before he heard a ruffle in the bed.</p>
<p>“Ugh, that hurts like a bitch. Goro, if you wanted to ask me out on a date you could’ve done it when I looked more presentable.” Goro looked up to him and the black-haired boy stared right back at him. </p>
<p>“Shut up, you idiot.” He tugged Akira into the tightest hug.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>i hope you guys enjoyed this. writing fanfics is new for me so please give me feedback!</p>
<p>follow me on twitter at akiiirakurusu !<br/>follow me on Instagram at meraki.kae for video edits !</p></blockquote></div></div>
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